BERKELEY — After six months of crunching numbers and scrambling for ways to lessen the impact on jobs and city services and programs, the City Council on Tuesday night trimmed $10.3 million from the city’s budget for fiscal 2004-05 with help from its employees unions.

The city and several labor unions — including the Police Officers Association and Service Employees International Union locals 535 and 790 (nonuniformed employees) — have reached tentative agree-

ments for one-time salary reductions of up to 3 percent in fiscal 2004-05.

The salary reductions will save the city roughly $2.5 million next year.

Unions representing electrical workers and middle managers have not reached tentative agreements with the city. But because of clauses in their contracts, the council on Tuesday approved the one-time salary reductions whether the unions agree to it or not, city officials said.

The Berkeley Firefighters’ Association does not have a clause in its contract that requires an employee “giveback” in a fiscal emergency. However, the union and the city are negotiating how to cut $300,000 — their portion of the employee reduction plan, said Councilmember Linda Maio.

“We are trying to be very fair across the board with all of the bargaining units,” Maio said, adding the employee givebacks will protect against layoffs.

Although Tuesday’s budget cuts eliminated 87 full-time equivalent positions, 63 of those are currently vacant. Remaining employees affected by the cuts will be shifted to new posts, city officials said.

“Everyone has worked really hard to spread the burden, including management staff,” Maio said. “It feels good and right to me that we are weathering the storm together.”

Councilmember Kriss Worthington had a different take on the employee salary reductions.

“It’s a very sad day for Berkeley,” he said. “It’s the city’s employees who have made the most suggestions to save us money, and we have not yet acted on those suggestions.”

Mayor Tom Bates called it a “share-the-pain budget.”

“But it gets the job done,” he said.

Some other cuts include:

– A 3 percent reduction to nearly all community groups, excluding homeless service agencies.

– The elimination of five bicycle police officers.

– The closure of an unnamed city swimming pool for half a year.

Over the past two years, the council has cut more than $6 million from the city’s $111 million general fund. Next year, without new revenue, $5 million will be cut.

The council is considering a number of measures for the November ballot that could pump millions into the general fund for library and youth and emergency services, among other things.

Berkeley, like many California cities, made the cuts in the wake of major reductions in state aid.

Cuts in the vehicle license fee alone will cost Berkeley more than $6 million annually.ncil

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